This invention relates generally to display apparatus and more particularly to kiosks for displaying sheets bearing advertising copy.
One common type of advertising display apparatus is the xe2x80x9ckiosk.xe2x80x9d A kiosk basically comprises a self supporting structure, such as a frame, pedestal or hollow housing arranged to be mounted on some surface, e.g., the floor. The support structure serves to hold a panel in which or on which one or more sheets of advertising copy, e.g., a photograph or other graphics and/or text, may be mounted for viewing by persons passing by the kiosk.
In U.S. Letters Pat. No. 4,608,773 (White) there is disclosed a kiosk display unit in the form of a pedestal consisting of plural, e.g., three, identical sheet metal panels which are secured together, to form a structure closed upon itself, by interengaging hook tabs and tab-receiving openings in flanges along edges of the panels. The kiosk is not illuminated and is particularly suitable for indoor applications where it can be readily assembled and disassembled.
In U.S. Letters Pat. No. 4,959,763 (Baggott) there is disclosed a display frame which can be assembled to form a kiosk display unit. The kiosk includes posts having lengthwise slots into which the edges of sheets of advertising material can be placed to support the advertising material sheets on panels for viewing. A light fixture may be included on the kiosk to illuminate the advertising materials from above. The display unit of this patent, like the White patent appears particularly suitable for indoor applications.
In U.S. Letters Pat. No. 4,453,327 (Clarke) there is disclosed an advertising display kiosk which is particularly suitable for outdoor applications. That kiosk includes an upright cylindrical housing having an open upper end. A roof is mounted on the top of the cylinder. Plural, e.g., 12, display panels are mounted about the periphery of the cylinder under the roof. Each display panel is arranged to support a respective advertising poster. The posters are transparent or translucent. The open upper end of the cylinder is covered by a transparent dome to enable sunlight to enter into the cylinder to be reflected outward through the posters to illuminate them.
Various ornamental designs for advertising kiosks exist in the following U.S. Design Pat. No.: D274,629 (Plumettaz); U.S. Pat. No. D296,221 (Kissler); U.S. Pat. No. 0,289,062 (Paulmier); U.S. Pat No. D314,014 (Decaux); U.S. Pat. No. D330,392 (Vazeille et al.); U.S. Pat. No. D331,077 (Foster); U.S. Pat. No. D357,943 (Szekely); U.S. Pat. No. D362,024 (Summa); and U.S. Pat. No. D377,197 (McKoy, Sr.).
The prior art advertising kiosks leave much to be desired from various standpoints, such as ability to protect the advertising copy from the elements, ability to enable the ready changing of the advertising copy, even illumination of the advertising copy, ready visibility of the advertising copy, convenience of servicing the kiosk, and general aesthetics, e.g., the kiosk providing a clean, uncluttered, unblemished and non-distracting appearance for the advertising copy held thereby.
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide an advertising kiosk which addresses the needs of the prior art.
It is another object of this invention to provide a kiosk which is particularly suitable for location outdoors to display advertising copy while protecting it from the elements.
It is another object of this invention to provide a rugged, fully enclosed internally illuminated kiosk.
It is another object of this invention to provide a kiosk which holds sheets of advertising copy in a manner to enable the copy to be replaced easily and quickly from within the kiosk by a worker.
It is another object of this invention to provide a kiosk which holds sheets of advertising copy to illuminate them from the interior of the kiosk, so that light passes evenly through it, thereby creating an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
It is another object of this invention to provide a kiosk which holds sheets of advertising copy illuminated from the interior of the kiosk by lamps therein, and which lamps are mounted in a manner so that they can be readily serviced by a worker within the kiosk.
It is another object of this invention to provide an internally illuminated kiosk having a convection air-flow system through the kiosk so that there is no fogging of the advertising copy by moisture intrusion.
It is another object of this invention to provide an advertising kiosk whose exterior surface is smooth and uncluttered.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an advertising kiosk having a stainless steel outer surface to render it weather resistant, yet which surface is smooth, unblemished and uncluttered, thereby resulting in an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an advertising kiosk having a stainless steel outer surface which can be readily attached to the kiosk without any exteriorly visible attachment devices, such as bolts, nuts, etc.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention a kiosk is provided for supporting at least one sheet of advertising copy, the sheet of advertising copy being formed of a translucent material and bearing graphics and/or text thereon, e.g., a photograph of a professional athlete with or without text. The kiosk is arranged to be mounted on any suitable horizontal support surface, e.g, the pavement outdoors, and comprises a hollow shell having at least one window located therein, a source of illumination located within the shell and adjacent the window, and a flexible light diffuser sheet. The window is covered by a transparent, e.g,. LEXAN(copyright), outer panel secured to the shell. The outer panel has an inner surface behind which the sheet of advertising copy is arranged to be mounted.
The flexible diffuser sheet is hingedly connected to the shell and is disposed at the window behind the outer panel. The diffuser is adapted to flex into engagement with the sheet of advertising copy, whereupon the sheet of advertising copy is held tightly and evenly against the inner surface of the outer panel by the diffuser.
The source of illumination provides light through the diffuser, the advertising copy sheet and the outer panel, to illuminate the advertising copy for visibility by persons outside of the kiosk. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the diffuser is a white translucent sheet to diffuse the light passing through it, to evenly illuminate the advertising copy, whereupon the advertising copy appears to glow.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention a kiosk is provided for supporting at least one sheet of advertising copy. The sheet of advertising copy is formed of a translucent material and bears graphics and/or text thereon. The kiosk is arranged to be mounted on a support surface, e.g., the pavement outdoors, and comprises a hollow shell having at least one window located therein, a source of illumination located within the shell and adjacent the window. The window is covered by a transparent outer panel secured to the shell. The outer panel has an inner surface behind which the sheet of advertising copy is arranged to be disposed
The source of illumination comprises plural elongated lamps, e.g., high intensity fluorescent lamps, mounted on a support frame within the shell so that they are disposed vertically at equidistantly spaced locations behind the window and on a substantially concentric radius therewith to effect the even illumination of the advertising copy sheet for visibility by persons outside of the kiosk.
In accordance with still another aspect of this invention a kiosk is provided for supporting at least one sheet of advertising copy. The sheet of advertising copy is formed of a translucent material and bears graphics and/or text thereon. The kiosk is arranged to be mounted on a support surface, e.g., the pavement outdoors, and comprises a sealed housing including a hollow shell adapted to have a worker enter the shell (e.g., via a door) for maintenance of the kiosk, whereupon the worker is protected from the ambient conditions outside of the kiosk.
The kiosk also includes a window in the shell and source of illumination located within the shell adjacent the window. The window is covered by a transparent outer panel secured to the shell. The outer panel has an inner surface behind which the sheet of advertising copy is arranged to be disposed. The source of illumination is arranged to effect the illumination of the advertising copy sheet for visibility by persons outside of the kiosk.
The shell includes a bottom portion, a top portion, at least one air-intake opening (preferably several spaced air-intake openings) in the bottom portion of the shell, and an air-outlet in the top portion of the shell to facilitate the flow of air through the shell.
In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention a kiosk is provided for supporting at least one sheet of advertising copy. The sheet of advertising copy is formed of a translucent material and bears graphics and/or text thereon. The kiosk is arranged to be mounted on a support surface, e.g., the pavement outdoors, and comprises a sealed housing including a hollow shell adapted to have a worker enter the shell for maintenance of the kiosk, whereupon the worker is protected from the ambient conditions outside of the kiosk, an outer covering or skin for the shell, and a source of illumination located within the shell adjacent the window. The shell also includes plural apertures therein.
The outer covering or skin comprises at least one flexible panel having an outer surface, an inner surface and plural first connector elements, e.g., threaded studs which are electro-capacitive welded, to the inner surface of the panel. This type of bonding ensures that there is no trace of blemish on the outer surface where each stud is located so that the skin is clean, unblemished and uncluttered. Each flexible skin panel is mounted on the shell by extending its plural connector elements through the apertures in the portion of the shell to be covered, e.g., so that threaded nuts may be secured to the threaded studs and in engagement with the inner surface of the shell.
In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention a kiosk is provided for supporting at least one sheet of advertising copy. The sheet of advertising copy is formed of a translucent material and bears graphics and/or text thereon. The kiosk is arranged to be mounted on a support surface, e.g., the pavement outdoors, and comprises a hollow shell having at least one window located therein, a source of illumination located within the shell and adjacent the window and a support frame mounting the source of illumination within the shell. The window is covered by a transparent outer panel secured to the shell and has an inner surface behind which the sheet of advertising copy is arranged to be disposed. The support frame, e.g., a ladder-like member having plural rungs, is movably mounted within the shell to enable a worker to move the support frame to a position within the shell to give the worker sufficient room to work within the kiosk, e.g., to service any components from within, protected from the outdoor weather. The source of illumination, e.g., high intensity fluorescent lamps, are mounted on the support frame to effect the even illumination of the advertising copy sheet for visibility by persons outside of the kiosk.